Tim Grobaty: Rockets' red glare? That's Paul Souza's work

Paul Souza is a fireworks technician for Pyro Spectaculars by Souza. He is a fifth-generation member of a family that has been in the business for more than 100 years.

Q: You're doing both John Morris' McKenna's by the Bay bash on July 3 and the Queen Mary show on July 4. Morris says his will be bigger, but he always says that.

A: The Morris show and the Queen Mary's are roughly the same, but the scope of presentation is different. The McKenna's show will seem bigger, no doubt, because of the geography of the bay and the fact that the fireworks will be going on right on top of a lot of places where you can view them. It's a more intimate show in that people will be more involved. The Queen Mary show is best viewed from the ship or by the lighthouse. Or if you own a boat.

Q: How many shows are you doing for the Fourth of July?

A: Well, for us, the Fourth of July started last Friday and goes through Saturday. Over that time we'll be doing 350 shows -- mostly in California, but we do the Boston Pops show and we do the big one in New York City -- both of those are televised nationally.

Q: You've put on, and got to watch, some of the best fireworks shows ...

A: We've done a number of Super Bowls, a few Olympics. It's been quite the career. We just did the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Q: What did you bring to that one?

A: We had four barges. It was a pretty massive show. We had 25 positions along the bridge and on the support towers, and we had a giant waterfall effect under the bridge.

Q: Do you even get a kick out of fireworks anymore?

A: Always. I'm in charge of product procurement, and every year we get things that are newer and more awesome. When we get new product, I go out and test it, and when it works, I actually giggle.

Q: Where do you test them?

A: At a secret place out in the desert.

Q: Tell me where it is.

A: You don't want to know.

Q: Do you have all your fingers and toes?

A: I have all my parts.

Q: Your childhood must have been a lot different than most kids. You probably didn't get much of a thrill out of a pack of firecrackers and a Piccolo Pete. You probably grew up with pyrotechnic waterfall effects.

A: Let's just say, being in this family, that when I played with G.I. Joes it was pretty colorful.

Q: So, no fireworks injuries for you?

A: No, but my grandfather was injured in the early 1970s. He was in the hospital for a few months, actually. That was back in the days when we still did hand-firing and reloading the tubes by hand. It was then that we pioneered the electronic firing technology and other safety measures to keep the human contact to a minimum.

Q: John Morris says he wants to make July 3 at the Bay an annual event. I suppose it would be great for your business if others started celebrating on the third as well as the Fourth of July.

A: The Fourth is a tradition, and we'd like to preserve that tradition. But if there are alternate dates, that's fine with us.

Q: Do you do a lot of shows the rest of the year?

A: We're always doing shows. All the Angels, all the Dodgers, the Giants and the Padres. We do high school football games, homecomings, weddings, bar mitzvahs. But the Fourth of July is the big one. I'm already ordering product now for next year.

Q: Was it always a foregone conclusion that you would end up in the fireworks business?

A: In hindsight, it sure seems that way, but it didn't seem that way when I was planning my life. I got a degree in electrical engineering at San Diego State, and I was actually working outside the business, then my dad said, "We could really use your skills here," and I said I guess I will.

Q: Well, blowing stuff up seems like more fun than engineering.

A: It's very rewarding. The greatest reward for me is when I can make tens of thousands, maybe millions, of people applaud and smile. That's an incredible feeling. And that's what's unique about fireworks: No matter what your background is -- your age, the language you speak, your religion -- everybody in the world loves fireworks. It's a great way to bring everyone together and put a smile on their faces.